Oxford Labour calls for Proportional Representation

In June, Oxford District Labour Party followed Oxford University Labour Club and neighbouring Whitney CLP in voting for a motion calling for Proportional Representation.

As a joint Labour organisation, made up of two Oxford constituencies, this is one of the biggest local parties in the country.

The motion we passed is here:

Our archaic electoral system is antidemocratic and not fit for purpose.

We need a properly representative and transparent electoral system where no vote is wasted. We need to change to a form of proportional representation for national elections. This should be one which allows M.P.s to keep their local constituency link. The voting age should be lowered to 16. Voting at weekends and the possibility of electronic voting should be investigated.

This party therefore calls upon the Labour Party to reject First Past the Post, the current voting system for General Elections, and to launch a consultation to choose a new voting system in which seats will broadly reflect the votes cast.

We call on the Labour Party to include proposals for reform in the Party’s manifesto for the next General election, with the declared intent that the new electoral changes will be put in place for the next general election.

After some engaging debate, the motion passed by 44 votes to 10 – a very clear margin.

These motions from CLPs are key to changing Labour’s policy on PR and have shown overwhelming support for PR from Labour’s grassroots members.

To facilitate CLP meetings, Make Votes Matter and Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform are providing expert speakers. If you are a Labour member I would urge you to ask a speaker to come and put forward a motion.

So far, 63 CLPs have had speakers and 34 have passed motions, putting pressure on Labour to back reform.

This map is slightly out of date but shows the breadth of support for PR. Constituencies in dark red have passed motions and light red hosted a speaker:

Make Votes Matter can help with every step of the process of passing a CLP motion. For more info see here or email labour4PR@makevotesmatter.org.uk